Vote no on Rutland overrides

Question 1 asks us to vote for a 2.5 percent override to fund a newly created position of town administrator at a projected cost of $130,000. The town is doing this as an override because they want it to be permanently funded. So this is a cost that we will permanently have to fund with tax increases. We would argue that if it is something that we cannot pay for at this time, then we should not fund it. The town has never had an administrator position. Why now when budget dollars are stretched? Think about what we all are facing in our personal budgets. Is this the time to add something new?

As far as Question 2 - this is to fund the anticipated Wachusett Regional School District budget, which the towns have yet to approve. Perhaps the towns should go back to the WRSD and suggest that they look at budget items and make cuts. For example, we have heard that the WRSD superintendent, who is already well paid, makes an additional $500 when he visits any school in the district plus we pay for his car and transportation. We thought being paid to be a superintendent means that visiting the schools would be part of his job.

Also, there is a paid position for $90,000 for a head of a literacy program for the district and this person does not "teach" anyone, has no experience in reading and does not even have a master's degree. This position is paid more than teachers in the system who have master's degrees and actually teach. Perhaps the WRSD can look to cutting these costs and the massive administrative employees housed in their separate building at the old Jefferson school versus threatening us with cuts to teachers.

We are being asked to do these two overrides, then pay a 25 percent increase in state sales taxes, and then how much increase in federal taxes? As taxpayers we will be asked to do with less but our government can just keep spending. It needs to stop. Vote NO on both overrides. Carol and David CongdonPleasantdale RoadRutland

Editor's Note: The literacy position is funded througha federal grant. The administrator worked with theTufts literacy program in Newton and has been hired tocoordinate the WRSD program.